Great Corrao Race takes over Island

Independence
Day week was full of class reunions, family reunions, friends getting together,
smiles and laughter this year. The Corrao family of Grand Island was no
different, only more so.

For
about the last 15 years, the Corraos have been having Fourth of July gatherings
with family coming in from all over New York state and Connecticut. The Fourth
of July is always at least a two-day event for the family. According to Monique
Corrao, out-of-state family members joke about the setting up of chairs days in
advance of the parade along Grand Island Boulevard. Some years, guests have
participated in the road race. After-parade festivities hosted by Mark and Desi
Corrao always include a day of poolside and backyard barbecues and sometimes
boating. Day 2 includes fun and games such as KanJam tournaments, horseshoes,
ladder or ring toss and a family softball game.

This
year, to change things up a bit, Day 2 hosts Monique and Tommy Corrao held the
Great Corrao Race. Five teams of participants ranging in age from 7 to 57 were
given two pages of items they needed to obtain or obtain pictures and/or video
of. Items included pictures of a stranger wearing a Bills jersey, photos with a
police officer, a veteran or a hockey player at the VFW, pictures on the slide
at McDonald's, pictures with a Mighty Taco employee (bonus if it was of Alex
Corrao, who was working that day), a Tops employee, pictures of the new Island
mural, of a light house, team members under the bridge, running bases at
Veterans Park, running the track at the high school, participating in a flash
dance mob, and the list goes on. Points were awarded for each picture obtained
with participants unaware of set point value.

The
race was won by Joneen, Hannah, Jenna, Ginger and Michael Corrao with 477
points.